Canine Degenerative Myelopathy - Symptoms

Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) is a fatal, neurodegenerative disease characterized by a general lack of coordination of muscle movements in the pelvic limbs. Dogs affected slowly lose control and function of their hindlimbs.

DM is a condition that progresses slowly and typically affects dogs 8 years of age or older. DM has been detected in dogs as young as 3 years. If you observe a sudden onset of disease symptoms in your dog, this may indicate that another condition is the cause for muscle or movement problems.Although variable in presentation and course, generally, Dogs with DM typically require mobility assistance within 9 months of the first onset of symptoms. Symptoms can progress to paralysis in 3-6 months when untreated. DM is not a painful disease, so if your dog is exhibiting pain, this may indicate that another condition is the cause or that a concurrent problem exists.

The first symptoms of DM include:

subtle weakness of one pelvic limb

the weakness progresses in the hind limb and displays as a tendency for the limb to be dragged

dragged rear paws will show unevenly worn toenails (inner nails will be more worn than outer nails)

the other hindlimb becomes affected within weeks to months

uncoordinated or drunken gait

loss of balance

exaggerated movements, such a high stepping when going up a curb

tendency to fall when cornering

affected dogs are often keen to exercise despite disability

no indication of spinal pain

dogs may be able to run, in a bunny-hopping gait, more easily than they can walk or climb

The presentation of the disease can vary between different dog breeds with some of them (e.g. Corgi and Rhodesian Ridgeback) having more obvious disease of the (lower) motor neuron rather than the spinal cord.

Please contribute to this article! If you have a dog affected by DM, please send us your photos, videos and feedback so we can include them in our article. Videos and photos are particularly useful for demonstrating symptoms to new owners who may have to face this disease. Send us materials by uploading them to DogHeirs or by sending them directly to us at Team@DogHeirs.com

Copyright 2015 DogHeirs. All Rights Reserved.

Sign up for our newsletter and get stories like this and more from DogHeirs delivered straight to your inbox!

You may also like

A Golden Retriever named Li Li has become something of a local celebrity in China for his habit of guarding his guardian's bicycle. Li Li's guardian, Luo Wencong does not need to buy a bike lock as Li L, keeps such a close eye on it for him. "Whenever I park up my bike, he wraps his forelegs around it to prevent it from being stolen," says Luo. Luo says Li Li is very intelligent...

An Alaskan Malamute puppy howls for the first time in front of his proud mom. She's so impressed she joins in! Related: Basset Hound puppy howls for the first time Adorable Alaskan Malmute puppies howl together Adorable Pomeranian puppy thinks she's a wolf

A 2-month-old Golden Retriever puppy is delighted to meet an 8-month-old baby who has come over for a visit! Related: Baby and dog share a playful moment Baby learns to chew from puggles Sweet dog helps teach baby to crawl

Xander is a blind pug with a very special gift, which he uses to help the people who need it most - abused children. He lives in Oregon and lost his eyes in an accident. He was adopted from the Klamath Animal Shelter last January by Rodney Beedy, who right away knew he had a special dog. Photo: Facebook/Meet Xander Xander has a wonderful temperment and people at the shelter told Rodney that Xander would...

Hip dysplasia is one of the most common skeletal diseases in dogs and affects millions of dogs worldwide. As the disease progresses, a dog's hip joints degenerate, causing increased pain and mobility issues for the dog. If left untreated, a dog will eventually be unable to use his/her hind legs and suffer extreme pain. However, the vast majority of dogs with hip dysplasia can lead full and active lives if the disease is diagnosed early...

Comments on this Article

My dog Bane has DM and hasnt walked for over eight months, im astounded that this illness seems to be no further on with treatment than it was over ten years ago. this has absolutely broken mine and my husbands heart, to watch our magnificent (biased :) boy become a shadow of his self. We have wheels for him and he loves his life still. He is now progressing towards the end, it has been a long hard road to travel with him, it takes A LOT of work to care for a DM dog, we havent had a night of unbroken sleep in a year, but i can honestly say that even if i knew know when choosing him as a puppy i wouldnt have choosen any differently.

Thanks for your comment Lee Ann. We're still working on two more articles on DM, and will try to publish them this week for you. We appreciate any input and feedback you might have given your experience with Ginger. Big hugs to you, Ginger and the rest of the pack. ♥

This was informative - I can't watch the videos yet because one of my dogs was just diagnosed with DM. She barely drags her foot, but this could change soon. I am just appreciating her one day at a time and looking for ways to help her in the upcoming time. Still sad...